FLRM query!

Hello!

My husband moved to the U.K. on the 26th of April 2021 on the spousal visa.

I am likely going to be going down as the sponsor again as I was for the first spousal visa and have been in my job longer etc but I was a bit worried because my passport is still in my maiden name. It has like 3 years left on it, so I never got round to changing it. Is it okay since we are submitting our marriage cert etc?

Also, is it right that he could apply say at the beginning of November or is better to wait near the end of the expiry of visa?

I am likely going to be going down as the sponsor again as I was for the first spousal visa and have been in my job longer etc

You will always be the sponsor for each visa, regardless of whose income you use to meet the requirements. Only the UK citizen spouse/partner can be the sponsor for spousal visas, FLR(M) and ILR.

but I was a bit worried because my passport is still in my maiden name. It has like 3 years left on it, so I never got round to changing it. Is it okay since we are submitting our marriage cert etc?

It's not an issue - people keep their passport in their maiden name all the time. Your marriage certificate will be your proof of having/using both names.

Also, is it right that he could apply say at the beginning of November or is better to wait near the end of the expiry of visa?

The earliest he can submit the online application is 28 days before he reaches 30 months in the UK... which will be 29th October 2023.

The latest he can submit the online application is the expiry date on his BRP card.

So, it's completely up to you when you decide to submit the application - it doesn't really matter when, as long you do it between 29th October and the expiry date.

You will always be the sponsor for each visa, regardless of whose income you use to meet the requirements. Only the UK citizen spouse/partner can be the sponsor for spousal visas, FLR(M) and ILR.

It's not an issue - people keep their passport in their maiden name all the time. Your marriage certificate will be your proof of having/using both names.

The earliest he can submit the online application is 28 days before he reaches 30 months in the UK... which will be 29th October 2023.

The latest he can submit the online application is the expiry date on his BRP card.

So, it's completely up to you when you decide to submit the application - it doesn't really matter when, as long you do it between 29th October and the expiry date.

Phew! Thank you so so much! That’s excellent! I think we will get it sent off early November. My payslip will come in at the end of October so that would be excellent timing!

So, say he applied 3rd November, can my work letter with the payslips/bank statements etc be dated 28 days before that? I think we would aim to have the letters and things dated 1 November anyway, so that would be within the timeframe isn’t it? 

We lived with my parents when he first moved over here, for almost a year, so would we need to get a letter from them stating this too? I have a mortgage in my name in our house now, so was going to submit the mortgage statement and all house documents as required but wondered do I need to submit anything from when we moved at my parents (minus the correspondence within that time)

Phew! Thank you so so much! That’s excellent! I think we will get it sent off early November. My payslip will come in at the end of October so that would be excellent timing!

Sounds like a plan  .

So, say he applied 3rd November, can my work letter with the payslips/bank statements etc be dated 28 days before that? I think we would aim to have the letters and things dated 1 November anyway, so that would be within the timeframe isn’t it? 

If he applied on 3rd November, then your most recent payslip, most recent bank statement (showing the latest payslip) and the employer letter must all be dated no earlier than 6th October (28 days before 3rd Nov).

However, if you get paid at the end of October, then the latest bank statement will need to be dated either Nov 1st, 2nd or 3rd, so that it shows the payslip on it... and if your payslips are electronic, then the employer letter must also be dated either Nov 1st, 2nd or 3rd, so that they can verify the details of the October payslip and bank deposit.

So, you may need to allow time at the beginning of November to get the October payslip, the bank statement and employer letter sorted out before you apply. You might find you need to wait a few more days to get them before applying.

We lived with my parents when he first moved over here, for almost a year, so would we need to get a letter from them stating this too? I have a mortgage in my name in our house now, so was going to submit the mortgage statement and all house documents as required but wondered do I need to submit anything from when we moved at my parents (minus the correspondence within that time)

For the accommodation requirement, you need to provide evidence of your current accommodation:
- Land Registry Document
- Latest mortgage statement
- Latest council tax statement

For the FLR(M) cohabitation requirement, you need to provide evidence of living together for the last 2 years (November 2021 to November 2023), and if you lived with your parents for any of that time, then you also need to provide a letter from them confirming the dates you lived with them.

So, for cohabitation documents, you will need:
- 6 items of mail in each name, dated every 4 months between November 2021 and November 2023, from at least 3 different official sources
- a letter from your parents stating the dates that you lived with them

Sounds like a plan  .

If he applied on 3rd November, then your most recent payslip, most recent bank statement (showing the latest payslip) and the employer letter must all be dated no earlier than 6th October (28 days before 3rd Nov).

However, if you get paid at the end of October, then the latest bank statement will need to be dated either Nov 1st, 2nd or 3rd, so that it shows the payslip on it... and if your payslips are electronic, then the employer letter must also be dated either Nov 1st, 2nd or 3rd, so that they can verify the details of the October payslip and bank deposit.

So, you may need to allow time at the beginning of November to get the October payslip, the bank statement and employer letter sorted out before you apply. You might find you need to wait a few more days to get them before applying.

For the accommodation requirement, you need to provide evidence of your current accommodation:
- Land Registry Document
- Latest mortgage statement
- Latest council tax statement

For the FLR(M) cohabitation requirement, you need to provide evidence of living together for the last 2 years (November 2021 to November 2023), and if you lived with your parents for any of that time, then you also need to provide a letter from them confirming the dates you lived with them.

So, for cohabitation documents, you will need:
- 6 items of mail in each name, dated every 4 months between November 2021 and November 2023, from at least 3 different official sources
- a letter from your parents stating the dates that you lived with them

Thank you so so much! This is excellent and a big big help! I’m so grateful for you!

Can I just run this by you? I’ve been going through our evidence today and wondered if this sounds good to you.

November 2021: BT Bill (Joint) this also has my mums name on it. Is their anything we need to do for bills with others names on them? Or will I just put something in a cover letter to say about this?
March 2022: Joint Bank Statement
July 2022: Me - Argos Card Statement. Him - Bank Statement from US Bank
November 2022: British Gas Bill (Joint)
March 2023: Council Tax Bill (Joint)
July 2023: British Gas Bill (Joint)
November 2023: We were going to use our joint BT Bill or a Bank Statement. If we’re applying early November then it would be dated end of October ish if that is okay!

And I think I asked somewhere before but I can’t find it, but would I need to include my previous accommodation proof at my parents since we lived there for a year? I’ve got all of our proof in our home such as council tax mortgage statement land registry etc.

Hi again!

I have another question if anyone's able to help me!

I just started thinking about the bank statements, so me and my husband use something called Revolut as we always used that when long distance and just stayed in the habit really so we transfer money to each other on that platform. Do I need to include these bank statements in the application anywhere? As on the main bank statements when the Home Office have a look, would they wonder what this money was if that makes sense? So would I be best to put a note about this in the cover letter and show them some statements?

I just started thinking about the bank statements, so me and my husband use something called Revolut as we always used that when long distance and just stayed in the habit really so we transfer money to each other on that platform. Do I need to include these bank statements in the application anywhere? As on the main bank statements when the Home Office have a look, would they wonder what this money was if that makes sense? So would I be best to put a note about this in the cover letter and show them some statements?

No, you don't need to include anything from Revolut.

Literally the only reason you need his bank statements at all is so that UKVI can confirm that his payslips are deposited into an account in his name.

That's it.

They will only look at the payslip deposits and nothing else. They don't care what you do with the money after it has been paid in.

No, you don't need to include anything from Revolut.

Literally the only reason you need his bank statements at all is so that UKVI can confirm that his payslips are deposited into an account in his name.

That's it.

They will only look at the payslip deposits and nothing else. They don't care what you do with the money after it has been paid in.

Phew, thank you so much!

So for our situation, we’ve got a joint bank account and we will be using my employers letter and bank statements etc so this will be okay? My wage goes in to our joint bank account. We weren’t gonna mention his salary as he only recently started the job there

I worry a lot when it comes to this kinda stuff incase there’s anything I’m missing! Thank you so much as always!

Phew, thank you so much!

So for our situation, we’ve got a joint bank account and we will be using my employers letter and bank statements etc so this will be okay? My wage goes in to our joint bank account. We weren’t gonna mention his salary as he only recently started the job there

Yes, that's fine - you just need to show that your payslips are being paid into an account in either your name, or in yours and your spouse's names jointly.

That's correct not to mention his salary, as otherwise you would need to provide financial documents for his employment as well.

You can just leave his employment details blank on the application form and only enter your details.

Yes, that's fine - you just need to show that your payslips are being paid into an account in either your name, or in yours and your spouse's names jointly.

That's correct not to mention his salary, as otherwise you would need to provide financial documents for his employment as well.

You can just leave his employment details blank on the application form and only enter your details.

Phew! Thank you so much, you have helped me tons! So so grateful.

I had another question I thought of: my passport is still in my maiden name purely because I have like 3 years left on it and didn’t want to spend the money to change it til then. Have you seen anyone on here using their maiden name when sponsoring? Because I know I have to scan my passport too, was just wondering about this!

Phew! Thank you so much, you have helped me tons! So so grateful.

I had another question I thought of: my passport is still in my maiden name purely because I have like 3 years left on it and didn’t want to spend the money to change it til then. Have you seen anyone on here using their maiden name when sponsoring? Because I know I have to scan my passport too, was just wondering about this!

Me! 

I didn't change my name when I got married. Not a problem. 

Me! 

I didn't change my name when I got married. Not a problem.

That is excellent, thank you so much! I think of these sometimes and I worry myself haha!

My husbands BRP expires December 21, if we did apply earlier would he be okay for the ILR time? It confuses me sometimes! I’ve seen some people say they’ve had to do an extra application!

Hi guys,

I just had another question! Maybe a silly one but I randomly think of these things!

So, I take home £1750 a month after tax normally.
This month I did overtime, so my payslip says £1700 as I paid more national insurance contributions due to working in my job on the staff bank which I sometimes pick up shifts for. do I need to note this somewhere or will the Home Office be okay with this? My money before tax is still the same! Just this overtime shift has made it so I actually paid more NI and would I need to show the overtime payslips to the home office?

So, I take home £1750 a month after tax normally.
This month I did overtime, so my payslip says £1700 as I paid more national insurance contributions due to working in my job on the staff bank which I sometimes pick up shifts for. do I need to note this somewhere or will the Home Office be okay with this? My money before tax is still the same! Just this overtime shift has made it so I actually paid more NI and would I need to show the overtime payslips to the home office?

The only amount that matters is the pay listed BEFORE any income tax or NI contributions have been taken out.

As long as the pre-tax/pre-NI amount shown on each payslip is at least £1550, you will meet the financial requirement with no issues.

However, you do need to include every single payslip you have received in the last 6/7 months, which includes any overtime payslips. If these are separate to your normal payslips, I would either include a cover letter explaining that they are from overtime on top of your £1750/month salary (so they don't think it was your total monthly income), or have your employer explain the overtime payslips in their letter.

The only amount that matters is the pay listed BEFORE any income tax or NI contributions have been taken out.

As long as the pre-tax/pre-NI amount shown on each payslip is at least £1550, you will meet the financial requirement with no issues.

However, you do need to include every single payslip you have received in the last 6/7 months, which includes any overtime payslips. If these are separate to your normal payslips, I would either include a cover letter explaining that they are from overtime on top of your £1750/month salary (so they don't think it was your total monthly income), or have your employer explain the overtime payslips in their letter.

Thank you! I will definitely do this.
The overtime is on the staff bank in my job but I have a separate pay number for it/a staff bank contract. Will I need to include this separate contract too with the evidence do you think? It’s sometimes only 4 shifts a year but since July I’ve had quite a few this time around!